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Patented Oct. '28, 1919.

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Jobfl Mewfierry fieyna/ds. Job/2 f Hear/7 ing operated, moves JOHN NEWBERRY REYNOLDS,

or GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, AND JOHN F. HEARN, or

PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY INCORPO- RATED, or NEW YORK, N.

Y., A-CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed January 8, 1918. Serial No. 210,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN NEWBERRY RnYNoLDs and JOHN F. HEARN, citizens of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Fair-field and State of Con necticut, and at Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, respectively, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Telephone -Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to switching apparatus for automatic telephone exchanges, and particularly to switches of the cross-bar type.

The present invention, Which is in the nature of an improvement of the switch disclosed in our copending application, Serial No. 210,861, filed January 8, 1918, has for its general object the provision ofa switching apparatus of this character wherein the multiple terminals of the outgoing circuits are arranged in a simple and economical form of contact bank.

A feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of the multiple terminals of the trunk circuits in a stationary Contact bank, contacts is necessary to place the same in condition for connection with the terminals of an incoming circuit. In accordance with this feature, each of the incoming lines associated with the switch, terminates in a set of movable brushes, which are carried upon a rotatable line bar. The line bar, upon be in acircular path to w1pe its associated brushes over an arcuate bank of stationary contacts, each set of contacts representing a trunk circuit. The trunk circuits are each multipled to as many positions as there are incoming lines.

In order to definitely control the movement of the line brushes over the trunk terminal bank, there is provided for each n of the trunks appearing in the bank a mechanical. stop. These stops'are arranged in a circular row in proximity to the path of motion of the line bars, being normally retained in such position as not to interfere with the movement of said bars. However, when one of the stops is released and permitted to aswhereby no movement of any trunk sume its alternate or set position, it projects to a point where it is encountered by and serves to arrest the movement of any line bar that maybe operated. By a proper relative arrangement of the trunk terminal bank, the cooperating line brushes, the movable line bars, and the mechanical stops, the line brushes of any incoming line may be stopped in Contact with any trunk terminal in the bank by the interposition of the proper stop member in the path of the rotatable line bar.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description.

In the drawings, Figure of a portion of the switch apparatus embodying the features of this invention. The circuits by which the switch is operated and controlled are also illustrated. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the line bars showing the line brushes mounted thereon, and the manner in which said bars cooperate with the, stop members. Fig. 3 is a plan 1 is a top view view of a section of the trunk terminal bank Referring now to the drawing, the inven tion will be considered for the purpose of illustration as embodied in a. line switch. In this capacity it may be adapted to connect any one of a group of subscribers lines, as for example, 100 lines, with any idle trunk of a group of say 10 trunks. of the subscribers telephone lines is provided with a line bar 1 rotatably mounted upon a common shaft 2. A retractile spring 3, one end bar 1, and the other end to shaft 2, normally retains the bar in its inoperative position against a stop rod 4. Each of the line bars 1 is provided with an operating magnet 5, having an armature 6, to which is fastened a lever 7 Lever 7 projects into position to engage a roller 57, carried on the pivoted end of bar 1, whereby attraction of the armature 6 causes bar 1 to rotate in a clockwise direction against the tension of spring Each of which is secured to the 3. 'Securedto the free end of each line bar 7 of brushes9, 10 and 11. Said brushes are insulated from each other, and from bar 1. by a mounting block 12 of insulating ma terial, held firmly in place by the clamping plates of the brush holder.

The several line units con'iprising a line bar 1, and its set of line brushes 9, 10, 11, are arranged on the shaft 2 at equally spaced vertical distances, with sufficient clearance between adjacent units to insure a free operation thereof. The brush sets are adapted to cooperate with a terminal bank 15, common to all lines served by the switch, and are so positioned with respect thereto that upon operation of any line bar 1, the corresponding brush set is moved in a circular path to wipe over the successive terminals of the bank. The terminal bank 15, Fig. 3, consists of a fabric of bare wires and insulating strips. The wires are arranged in sets of three each, as the set 16, 17, 18, each set comprising the terminals of an outgoing trunk circuit. The insulating strips 19 are interwoven with said wires 16, 17 18 at successive positions throughout the length of the terminal bank. As seen in the figure the vertical displacements of the wires of a set occur longitudinally adjacent to each other at the same position in the bank. In other words, at the position shown in Fig. 3, wire 18 is displaced to give the contact portion 20, wire 17 is displaced to give the contact portion 21 adjacent thereto, and wire 16 is displaced to give the next adjacent cont-act portion 22. These three contact portions of wires 16, 17, 18 form the multiple terminal at one position in the bank, and are adapted to be engaged by the particular set of line brushes 9, 10, 11 associated with that position. The three wires 16, 17, 18 representing a trunk are likewise displaced in as many other positions in bank 15 as there are sets of line brushes appearing i the switch. other sets of wires representing each of the other nine trunks are arranged in a similar manner.

In proximity to the path described by the tip of fingers 13, )ivoted on the end of line bars 1, a circular row of rotatable stop rods 23 is arranged. Rods 23 are provided with a radially projecting feather 24, which extends vertically before all of the fingers 13. While a rod 23 is in its normal position, the feather 24L thereof is rotated to a pointwhere it will not be encountered by a finger 13 of an operating line bar. hen, however, a rod'23 is released and permitted to assume its set position, as by means of a spring, not shown, the feather 24 projects into the path of a rotating finger 13 and thereby arrests the movement of the line bar. Each rod 23 is also provided with a finger 25 arranged to be engaged by a catch lever 26 to hold the feather in its normal The inoperative position. .The levers 26 are rotated to release rods 23 by means of armatures 27 of elcctromagnets 98. These stop rods are each individual to one of the trunk circuits appearing in the multiple terminal bank 15, and are so arranged that when any line bar is arrested by a given stop member, the line brushes of such bar will be brought to rest in contact with the multiple terminals of the corresponding trunk.

In describing the operation of the switch, it will be assumed that one of the stop members 23, individual to an idle trunk, has previously been released to its set position. The subscriber at station '29, upon initiating a. call, closes the following circuit for line relay 30; battery, contact 31, left-hand winding of relay 30, conductor 32, substation 29, conductor 33, right-hand winding of relay 30, contact 34 to ground. Relay 30 energizes and closes a circuit for the winding 35 of operating magnet 5 from ground, winding 35, contact and armature of relay 30, conductor 36, left-hand winding of relay 37, contact and armature of pilot relay 38, to battery. The relay 37 attracts its armature and locks up over a circuit including its right-hand winding, which shunts out a part of the current flowing to the magnet 5. The winding of iagnet 5, which received current in series with the left-hand winding of relay 37 to attract both its armatures 6 and 39, is now sulllciently energized to retain said armatures after the operation of relay 37. However, should another line attempt to make a call at this time, the winding 35 of the corresponding operating magnet does not receive sufficient current to attract its armatures, due to the shunting effect of relay 37, this relay being common to all lines served by the switch. A second calling line would therefore be required to wait until relay 37 deenergizes, which, as will be seen hereinafter, soon takes place.

The attraction of armature 6 causes the associated line bar 1 to rotate until finger 13 encounters the prepositioned stop member 23. Engagement of'said finger with feather 24 of said stop member causes the stop member to be rotated back to its normal position where it is held by lever 26. The finger 13 is at the same time rotated against the tension of retractile spring 14;. so as to maintain its engagement with feather 24: and prevent bar 1 from further rotation. In this position brushes 9, 10, 11 are resting in contact with the terminals 16, 17, 18 of the pre selected idle trunk, and the following circuit is completed: free pole of battery, relay 40, conductor 41, brush 10, conductor substation 29, conductor 33, brush 11, con ductor 6G to ground. IVhen armature 39 was attracted, it opened. the circuit for line relay 30, but relay 30 being slow, does not release to open the circuit of winding until after relay has had time to energlze. The attraction of the armature of relay 4O closes a circuit forholding and cutoff windin 42 of magnet 5, traceable from battery, winding 42, conductor 43, brush 9, conductor 44, to ground at the armature and contact of relay 40. When the stop rod 23 of the selected trunk was rotated to normal position, it

closed a contact 45, and opened a contact 46,

there being a set ofsuch contacts for each stop rod 23. Contacts 45 are connected in series, and when all are closed, as 13 the case just after a line bar has operated, a ground It will be noted that the allotting switch 48,

which controls the preselection of idle trunks, normally stands with its wipers 49 and 50 on the contacts corresponding to the next idle trunk succeeding a preselected idle trunk. Therefore, as soon as the call under discussion has been extended and the conductor 47 .grounded, as described, a circuit is completed from said grounded wire 47, righthand armature and contact of relay 51, wiper 50, conductor 52 corresponding to the next idle trunk in order, magnet 28, to battery. Magnet 28 energizes, and releases its associated stop rod 23 into position to intercept a bar 1 upon the initiation of the next call.

, As soon as this released stop rod reaches its battery.

' ing to an idle trunk.

set position, it opens its contact 45, and closes contact 46, the former of which removes the ground from conductor 47. Magnet 28 and pilot relay 38 thereupon deenergize. The retraction of the armature of the pilot relay again places battery potential upon conductor 36, and its multiples, so that a subsequent call will be effective to operate a line bar 1. The closure of contact 46 completes the following circuit: ground, conductor 44, corresponding to the posi tioned stop rod 23, wiper 49, relay 51, to Relay 51 attracts its armature and closes a circuit for magnet 53 which steps the wipers 49 and 50 onto the next set of contacts. If the trunk corresponding to this position of wipers 49, 50 is busy, relay 51 will again be energized over a circuit extending to ground at the contact of a relay 40, and wipers 49 and 50 take another step. This operation will continue until switch 48 advances its wipers to a position correspond- Upon the initiation of a new call, the operations already described are'repeated. p

At the end of conversation, the subscriber at substation 29, by restoring his receiver to the switch hook, opens the above-traced circuit for relay 40. Relay 40, by retracting its armature, opens the circuit for holding winding 42 of magnet 5, which in turn deenergizes and permits the rectractile spring 3 to restore line bar 1 to its normal position.

In case a connector switch, in extending a connection to the subscribers line shown, places its brushes upon the multiples 54, 55 and 56, a circuit is completed from battery, winding 42 of magnet 5, conductor 43, multiple 56 and to ground at the connector. Winding 42 is so wound as to be able to at-, tract armature 39 to therebycut out the line relay 30, but is not capable of attracting the armature 6.

l/Vhat. is claimed is:

1. In a switch, the combination of a group of multiple terminals arranged in a bank, a plurality of movable bars, brushes mounted on each of said bars and arranged to wipe over the terminals of said bank, a plurality of stop members, one individual to each of said multiple terminals, means for set-ting one of said stop members in the path of said bars to arrest the movement of an operated bar with its brushes on the multiple terminal individual to the positioned stop member, said bars being arranged to restore the stop members to normal position by engagement therewith, and means for operating said bars.

2. In a switch, the combination of a group of fixed multiple; terminals arranged in a bank, a plurality of rotatable bars, brushes mounted upon each of said bars and movable thereby to wipe over the multiple terminals of said bank, a plurality of stop members, one individual to each of said mul tiple terminals, means for positioning one of said stop members in the path of said bars to arrest and hold an operated bar with its brushes on the multiple terminal individual to the: positioned stop member, said bars being arranged to restore the stop members to normal position by engagement therewith, and means for rotating said bars.

3. In a switch, the combination of a group of fixed multiple terminals arranged in an arcuate bank, a plurality of rotatable bars,

brushes mounted upon each of said bars and movable thereby to wipe over the multiple terminals of said bank, a plurality of rotatable stop members, one individual to each of said multiple terminals, means for rotat' ing one of said stop members into the path of said bars to arrest and hold an operated bar with its brushes on the multiple terminal individual to the rotated stop member, said bars being arranged to rotate said stop mem bers back to their normal position by engagement therewith, and electromagnets for rotating said bars.

4:. In a switch, the combination of a group of fixed multiple terminals arranged in a bank, a plurality of rotatable bars, brushes mounted upon each'of said bars and movable thereby to wipe over the multiple terminals in said bank, a plurality of stop members, one individual to each of said multiple terminals, means for positioning one of said stop members in the path of said bars to arrest and hold an operating bar with its brushes on the multiple terminal individual to the positioned stop member, said bars being arranged to restore a positioned stop member to normal by engagement therewith, means operated by a restored stop member for positioning another of said stop members in the path of the rotatable bars, and means for rotating said bars.

5. In a switch, the combination of a group of fixed multiple terminals arranged in an arcuate bank, a plurality of bars rotatably mounted upon a common shaft, brushes mounted upon each of said bars and morable thereby to wipe successively over the multiple terminals in said bank, a plurality ofrotatable stop members arranged'in an arcuate roW in "proximity to the path of movement-of said'bars, one of said members being individual to each of said multiple terminals, means for releasing a stop member into "the path of the rotatable bars to arrest 'and "hold an operated bar with its brushes in Contact with the multiple terminal individual to the released stop vmem b'er, said bars being arranged to rotate a released stop member back to its normal position by engagement therewith, and magnets for operating said rot'atable'bars.

In Witness whereof,"we hereunto subscribe our names this 31st day of December, A. D. 191.

'JOHN NElVBERRY REYNOLDS.

JOHN F. HEARN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

